The water maze paradigm in experimental studies of chronic cognitive disorders: Theory, protocols, analysis, and inference

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 195-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minesh Kapadia ◽  
Josie Xu ◽  
Boris Sakic
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-137
Author(s):  
K.M. Shipkova

This paper presents an analysis of current foreign trends in neurocognitive rehabilitation of cognitive disorders in Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and neuropsychological rehabilitation of the most common form of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD) - aphasia. Two approaches to the restoration of higher mental functions (HMF), based on a different understanding of the neuroplasticity mechanisms, are described. The description presents non-invasive and functional methods of direct stimulation of HMF. Various methods of transcranial brain stimulation and Intensive Language-Action Therapy (ILAT) are reviewed and analyzed. The data of experimental studies present the application of these methods to the restoration of Broca's aphasia. The paper also considers an approach to neurorehabilitation based on the methodology of "workaround" recovery of HMF using sensory-enriched environment. The article describes and analyzes the theoretical foundations of Music Intonation Therapy (MIT), Thérapie mélodique est rythmée) (TMR), palliative MIT, Music Therapy (MT). The paper carries out an analytical review of the implementation of abovementioned methods in aphasics. Also, programs and neurocognitive correction methods in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are considered. The paper describes the possibilities of using active and passive MT, STAM-DEM Therapy, and Multimodal Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (MCET) in AD. The study presents the data of systematic and meta-analytical reviews on their use in MCI. The paper describes the methodology of "musical" neuropsychological diagnostics in dementia.


Author(s):  
A.A. Paltsyn

Клеточное старение - главная причина возрастных хронических болезней и основной массы морбидности, мортальности и затрат на здоровье. Специфические особенности стареющих клеток: утрата пролиферативной способности, усиленная секреция проинфломаторных цитокинов, хемокинов, факторов протеолиза и экстрацеллюлярных матриксных протеаз, что вместе создает старческий секреторный фенотип (senescence-associated secretory phenotype - SASP). Увеличивающееся с возрастом содержание таких клеток нарушает физиологическую регенерацию тканей и оборачивается пандемиями современного человечества: атеросклерозом, другими сердечно-сосудистыми болезнями, диабетом, раком, воспалительными заболеваниями легких, когнитивными болезнями, саркопенией, остеопорозом и др. Стареющие клетки, подобно раковым, относительно устойчивы к апоптозу. На преодолении этой их особенности основывается недавно возникшее в медицине направление - лечение сенолитиками, препаратами, способствующими апоптозу. Сегодня, уже в многочисленных экспериментальных работах найдено, что сенолитики могут улучшать практически все показатели здоровья и увеличивать продолжительность календарной и физически-активной жизни мышей. Клинические работы по теме пока редки и скромны по числу и значимости изучаемых параметров. Однако есть сообщения о благоприятных результатах применения сенолитиков.Cell aging is the major cause of age-related chronic diseases and most of morbidity, mortality, and health care expenses. Specific features of senescent cells, such as loss of proliferative capacity, increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, proteolytic factors, and extracellular matrix proteases, together create the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Content of such cells increases with age to break the physiological regeneration of tissues, which turns into the pandemics of modern humanity, including atherosclerosis, other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, inflammatory lung diseases, cognitive disorders, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, etc. Aging cells, like cancerous cells, are relatively resistant to apoptosis. A recent prospect in medicine, the therapy with senolytic drugs that promote apoptosis, is based on overcoming this feature. By present, already numerous experimental studies have shown that senolytics can improve almost all indexes of health and increase duration of both chronological and physically active life of mice. Clinical studies in this field as yet are scarce and modest in terms of the number and significance of studied parameters. However, some of the studies have reported favorable results of using the senolytics.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-pei Feng ◽  
Pu Deng ◽  
Li-hua Liu ◽  
Qi Ai ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
...  

Neuroinflammation has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Electroacupuncture (EA) is an irreplaceable method in traditional Chinese medicine that is used for treating neurodegenerative diseases in clinical and experimental studies. The aim of this study was to examine whether EA improves cognitive dysfunction caused by surgery and to investigate the pathological mechanism of TLR2 and TLR4 in the hippocampus of aged rats. A rat model of POCD was established and treated with EA or minocycline. Both EA- and minocycline-treated rats performed significantly better than untreated operated rats in spatial memory tasks of the Morris water maze (MWM) test, spending comparatively greater amounts of time in the target zone during the probe test. Additionally, decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and HMGB1) and decreased TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression in the hippocampus of EA- and minocycline-treated rats were detected. Our data suggested that EA treatment alleviated the cognition performance deficit and neuroinflammation in aged rats following surgery, which may be mediated by inhibiting the expression of hippocampal neuroinflammatory cytokines through the microglia/TLR2/4 pathway.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susannah E Murphy ◽  
Angharad N de Cates ◽  
Amy L Gillespie ◽  
Beata R Godlewska ◽  
Jessica C Scaife ◽  
...  

Abstract Animal experimental studies suggest that 5-HT4 receptor activation holds promise as a novel target for the treatment of depression and cognitive impairment. 5-HT4 receptors are post-synaptic receptors that are located in striatal and limbic areas known to be involved in cognition and mood. Consistent with this, 5-HT4 receptor agonists produce rapid antidepressant effects in a number of animal models of depression, and pro-cognitive effects in tasks of learning and memory. These effects are accompanied by molecular changes, such as the increased expression of neuroplasticity-related proteins that are typical of clinically useful antidepressant drugs. Intriguingly, these antidepressant-like effects have a fast onset of their action, raising the possibility that 5-HT4 receptor agonists may be a particularly useful augmentation strategy in the early stages of SSRI treatment. Until recently, the translation of these effects to humans has been challenging. Here, we review the evidence from animal studies that the 5-HT4 receptor is a promising target for the treatment of depression and cognitive disorders, and outline a potential pathway for the efficient and cost-effective translation of these effects into humans and, ultimately, to the clinic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soonmi Won ◽  
Keebum Park ◽  
Hyoungsub Lim ◽  
Sung Joong Lee

Abstract Background A sex-difference in susceptibility to chronic pain is well-known. Although recent studies have begun to reveal the sex-dependent mechanisms of nerve injury-induced pain sensitization, sex differences in the affective and cognitive brain dysfunctions associated with chronic pain have not been investigated. Therefore, we tested whether chronic pain leads to affective and cognitive disorders in a mouse neuropathic pain model and whether those disorders are sexually dimorphic. Methods Chronic neuropathic pain was induced in male and female mice by L5 spinal nerve transection (SNT) injury. Pain sensitivity was measured with the von Frey test. Affective behaviors such as depression and anxiety were assessed by the forced swim, tail suspension, and open field tests. Cognitive brain function was assessed with the Morris water maze and the novel object location and novel object recognition tests. Results Mechanical allodynia was induced and maintained for up to 8 weeks after SNT in both male and female mice. Depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors were observed 8 weeks post-SNT injury regardless of sex. Chronic pain-induced cognitive deficits measured with the Morris water maze and novel object location test were seen only in male mice, not in female mice. Conclusions Chronic neuropathic pain is accompanied by anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in a mouse model regardless of sex, and male mice are more vulnerable than female mice to chronic pain-associated cognitive deficits.


Author(s):  
Kent McDonald ◽  
David Mastronarde ◽  
Rubai Ding ◽  
Eileen O'Toole ◽  
J. Richard McIntosh

Mammalian spindles are generally large and may contain over a thousand microtubules (MTs). For this reason they are difficult to reconstruct in three dimensions and many researchers have chosen to study the smaller and simpler spindles of lower eukaryotes. Nevertheless, the mammalian spindle is used for many experimental studies and it would be useful to know its detailed structure.We have been using serial cross sections and computer reconstruction methods to analyze MT distributions in mitotic spindles of PtK cells, a mammalian tissue culture line. Images from EM negatives are digtized on a light box by a Dage MTI video camera containing a black and white Saticon tube. The signal is digitized by a Parallax 1280 graphics device in a MicroVax III computer. Microtubules are digitized at a magnification such that each is 10-12 pixels in diameter.


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